Maybe it's just me but I don't like this one

Bought this 6” Delta benchtop jointer a few months ago for my shop. I choose the benchtop version because of limited space and the fact that most of my projects are small, boxes, clocks, etc. I think that I have made a mistake on this one, I have had several problems with it. The first thing I noticed was that the outfeed table had a dip on the end farthest from the blades. I brought it to the authorized factory repair center and they replaced the outfeed table. Since then, I have not been able to successfully joint a single piece of wood. It seems that I always end up with a smooth edge – but the board ends up tapered – one end is wider than the other.

I hesitate to blame Delta until I have had the opportunity to ensure that I am using it correctly (I hate to blame Delta before I make sure it’s not user error).

Be interested in hearing from anyone that has or has used this jointer.

24 comments so far

I’ve heard mixed reviews. The taper often comes with the outfeed table not being properly aligned with the blade. If having the outfeed table and blades perfectly aligned produces the problem, then try and put a straight edge across the outfeed and the blades and lower the outfeed until the blade JUST grabs the straight edge, in a sense putting them just a few thousandths higher than the outfeed table. Then run a board again. This little trick is not mine, but did fix a similar taper problem I had on another jointer.

-- You can discover more about a person in an hour of play than in a year of conversation. (Plato)

Hey Bill.I don’t like bashing tools. But here is my experience with Delta. I had a new Delta 12” planer, well, probably two days out of warranty. I just exploded. I bought another one, and the gears jammed. The one way wedged pin was jammed into the gear, causing it to wobble. I tried tightening as much as I could, but I couldn’t get the pin out of the gear. First of all, I shouldn’t have had to worry about it, second of all, I can’t understand the idea of the pin, other than forcing me to take it to the “authorized factory repair center” to have it totally disassembled and probably wind up paying two times what it would cost to buy a new one. I would be willing to put the big “piece of junk” stamp on Delta’s low line. I got a RIDGID planer and now I am working on wood instead of a junk of a planer.

Seriously, I’m glad I read your review. I have been debating with myself about getting that exact machine. Like you, I thought it might suffice for my small projects. Now I’m going to hold off unless you report back that you’ve managed to get it working properly.

Bill, I have that jointer and have had the same experience as you. It cuts nice and smooth, but no matter what I do, I end up with a tapered board. Currently mine is sitting off to the side until I get the ambition to break it down and see if I can put it right. It has been disappointing.

It’s an outfeed table issue for sure. It’s too low, or not sitting coplaner with the infeed table.

Remove the guard, take a metal straight edge, and sit it on the outfeed table overhanging the cutterhead. Slowly turn the cutterhead by hand…..I’ll bet ya that when the blade hits the straght edge it will pick it up and drag it back :) Next thing to check is for coplane: raise the infeed table up to it’s highest point, and rest a straightedge across both tables, from end to end. If the end of the outfeed table is too high, this will show up then. Both tables need to be on the same plane. You may have to shim the mounting bolts to get it perfect (Pieces of pop-cans work well for this)

A properly aligned outfeed table will be so close to exactly even with the top edge of the knives that they won’t move the straight edge, but make a tiny “tick” noise.

Adjust the table and try again. Even cheap/small tools can do a great job, but they have to be tuned properly…even more so than big machines, as they are less forgiving.

Sounds like you are putting pressure on the back end of the board. Once the leading end of the board reaches the end of the outfeed table only put pressure on the outfeed table side. It’s more likely to happen with longer boards.

Also a jointer isn’t supposed to make board edges parallel, just flat. That’s the job of your planer or tablesaw.

Try that and let me know if it works.

-- Gary - Never pass up the opportunity to make a mistake look like you planned it that way - Tyler, TX

Bill – just my 2 cents here – even with inflation it may not be worth much. I have a floor model jointer that I used a lot when I was doing the big stuff. Now that I’ve been doing mostly little stuff, boxes, etc. I’ve found that I get better results using my table saw to straighten edges and then a small sled for the planer to get a flat face. A few simple jigs and you are good to go without the jointer. This works especially well with small boards since you really should not use a big jointer with the smaller stuff – it’s not safe. I’m not sure how small you can go board size wise with a table top model.

Now that I’m starting to use more hand tools, I’m hoping that I can skip the planer on the small stuff and use hand planes. But that’s still a dream not close to reality.

One of the problems with this particular jointer is that there are absolutely NO adjustments that can be made to the outfeed table. There are some hex bolts in it, but according to the techs at the Factory Service Center, there are no adjustments that the user is able to make. I have checked the outfeed/blade alignment with a straightedge and they appear to be aligned properly. I think I have a nice boat anchor here, but I’ll just keep using my router table to joint until I have more time this Spring to work with it some more.

Gary’s comments (Also a jointer isn’t supposed to make board edges parallel, just flat.That’s the job of your planer or tablesaw.) make plenty of sense to me – maybe I was trying to get it to do more than I needed to? It does put a smooth edge on the wood.

If it is aligned properly, then the problem HAS to be technique…..theres no other variable. If the tables are copplaner and the outfeed table is at the correct height, well….thats all thats needed (from the machine) to make a straight edge. Feed the board with pressure on the infeed side of the board until 1/3 or 6” (whatever is smaller) of the board is on the outfeed table, then apply down-force to the face thats on the outfeed ONLY. Best advice I can come up with :)

I have seen this problem with the two tables not being coplaner (as has been previously described). That is, the two tables are not level with each other. Place a long straight edge across the entire jointer and use feeler gauges underneath to see if there are any gaps.

Gary’s comment is so true, that is why you need some kind of thicknesser to mate with a jointer.

I bought the same jointer, and yes, it has all the same problems. It was fine coming out of the box – the fence isn’t much to brag about – but the whole machine was flat, square, coplanar, etc. Initially, it worked great. However, after just a little use, I started getting concave cuts and then tapering cuts. I checked, I shimmed, I tightened, I adjusted, and the problem kept coming back. So I really checked closely, and here’s what I found – there’s too much play in the infeed table’s height adjustment, especially the main screw. The whole infeed table pitches down and then up as I push the wood across. It’s not technique, it’s a wobbly machine. The only way to get the infeed table rigid is to lock the table and then torque the height adjustment. Unfortunately, that pitches the table out of square with the other table permanently. I also found that the tables had developed a little sag and twist, and I have not been using it at all hard. There’s just too much aluminum and thin steel. It’s a very expensive toy.

I looked at the this model first – but decided against it and purchased the compatible size in a Grizzly- #GO612-

The Grizzly was a just a few dollars more but it was well worth the extra expense. I also like the guard on the Girizzly compared to the Delta, seems much more like a tool than a toy – the only issue the Grizzly is HEAVY—-and not as portable as the Delta, but I bolted it to a small cart I made and it is is truly portable.